Insect-guard.



PATENTED` MAY 24,51904.' W. HUMANs.

INSBGT GUARD; APPLICATION FILED rn.'25.'19os.

N0 MODEL..

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vUNITED STATES Patented May 24, 1902i;`

PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM HUMANs, oFCAMBRIDGE; MASSACHUSETTS.

'.lNsEoT-GUARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 760,692, dated May 24,- 1904.

` Application ala April z5, 1903.

.To all whom it may conc-ern.-

Be it known that LWILLIAM HUMANS, a subdescription, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention has for its object to provide a novel and effective guard to be applied to vthe bodies of trees to prevent insects from creeping or crawling up or down the body of the tree to attack the same.

In accordance with my inventionI employ a band, preferably of metal, and atthe interior of the band I provide 4a trap composed of brous material so arranged or lfolded at or near the upper and lower edges of the band as to form one or more pocket-like receptacles between the inturned ends of the fibrous material at each end of the band i'nto'which insects-or worms destructive to trees enter and.

from which they do not come out.' @The band employed is represented as having projections.y that contact with or tightly rest against parts of the body of the tree to thereby space the band and the fibrous material containingthe pockets at the proper distance from the bark of the tree and .prevent improper packing or The band also, as herein shown, is provided with prongs that vare employed to confine the fibrous material in working position. band is so shaped in cross-section that a space is left at its outer side into which may `be drawn tarred paper, part of the paper being turned outwardly to present corners or angles over which an insect or worm cannot crawl so as to get upon the body ofl the tree vbeyond that portion thereof1 encircledbyithe band.

Figure l in elevation represents a portion of a tre'e encircled by an insect-guard embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlargedcrojss section thereof. Fig. 3 is a rear sideviewj of the .part of the guard orprotector shown in Fig. 1. Figs. 4L and 5 `show modified forms of bands with tarred paper applied thereto, nddFig. 6 shows yet another modication of The Serial No; 154,209. (No model.)

My improved insect-guard or tree-protector as applied toa tree A comprises, essentially,'a yband a, preferably of tin or other fiexiblemetal. I slot the band at its upper and lower edges and bend such portions outwardly so as to present two slotted or toothed flanges a a2, and between said flanges a space is provided in which I may draw a strip of tarred paper'or cloth I). The tarred paper or cloth is applied to the exterior of the band lbefore the band isapplied to the tree-body A, and the outer portion of said band is preferably heavily tarred, solas to cause an insect or, as herein shown, a worm, Figs. l' and 2, to stick to the tar, and in c ase a worm or insect should crawl upwardly over the :band it would meet the upper fiange a of the strip, and that will prevent the worm from going any farther.

To afford an additional protection against a possibility of a worm getting over the edge of the uppermost fiange of the strip, I have vshown the edges of the tooth-like portions pointed, as at a3." It ,is obvious thatithese points may be more or less sharp, as may be desired. Y A

The band may-be composed of one strip or ofl a plurality of connected strips or pieces of metal. By making the flanges slotted the necessary fiexibility is provided at the upper and lower edges of the band, so that it can be made to conform readily to. the diameter of the tree and to irregularitiesl in its circumference. v f r I provide the inner face of the band with Ysuitable pointed prongs c. These prongs enter or receive upon-them a sheet of hemp, tow, excelsior, cotton, or any other suitable fibrous material f, and I have `found hempA t0 be exceedingly effective. The prongs are bent downwardly after being inserted through the fibrous' material to thereby hold it firmly on the band, leaving the ends of the fibers projecting from the upper and lower edges of. 'the band for about one-half the width ofthe band. These projecting ends are then turned backwardly to overlie` the portions of the lterial and the tree-body and get behind the band; but the worm before it reaches the op'- posite end of the band will enter the pocket d land feeling that it has reached a suitable place to remain will embed itself in the thicker portion of the fibrous material adjacent the edge of the trap or protector.

I have found by experience that Worms and insects destructive to tree life embed themselves in large numbers in the pocket afforded by inturning upon itself a portion of the fibrous material connected with the band.

The prongs c shown are represented as formed from the band by punching lout or backwardlya portion of the band, and at the edges of the latter they can be conveniently made from the parts of 'the band which are cut out between the tooth-like portions of the flanges.

To confine the band to the tree, I apply a wire, as shown in Fig. l, in the spaces formed by turningbackwardly the line of prongs c,

and owing to the shape of the notches left after turning back the prongs c it will be seen that the'wire once twisted into position cannot be readily detached, and consequently the protector is securely confined to the tree-body.

Fig. 3 shows the band a as composed of two pieces of metal 2 3, united by narrow strips 4, said narrow strips being attached jby solder or in any other suitable way. There may be any desired number of prongs c and they may be formedat any point in the width of the band, as well as at the iiange portions thereof.

In Fig. 4 I have shown on a smaller scale a band made of a single piece of' metal with its opposite edges flanged outwardly, the edges of the flanges being turned one toward the other.

Fig. 5 shows a band composed of a single piece of metal 7i, much narrower than the band shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and the edges of this band are'turned outwardly and are brought closer together than in Figs. 3 and 4.

rI`he tarred paper z', drawn into the space at the outer side ofthe strip 7L, Fig. 5, is folded centrally to present two like edges 6, that enter the hooks formed by bending the strip t out-- wardly.

Fig. 6 shows a strip composed of a single sheet of metal, the outer edges of which are bent somewhat differently from that shown in Figs. l to 3.

As most clearly shown in Fig. 2, the upper and lower edges of the tarred paper 7) are bent outward beneath the flange portions of the band, as at 52, and such turned or bent portions of the paper serve to close or cover the slots or openings in the flanges, so that the insects cannot crawl therethrough.

This invention is not limited to the exact shape shown for the outwardly-bent edges of the band, as the same may be varied within limits without departing from my invention, the essential feature of the edges being that they act as a barrier to the worm crawling over the tarred paper or cloth applied to the exterior of the band.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. An insect-guard comprising a lnetallic band having a plurality of integral inturned rests to contact with the body of the tree to maintain the band throughout its width at a distance outside the tree, and fibrous material secured to the inner side of the band between it and the tree.

2. An insect-guard comprising a metallic band having a series of prongs and rests to contact with the body of the tree to sustain the band at a distance outside the tree, and fibrous material applied to the inner side of the band and folded on itself to provide a pocket between the inturned ends.

3. An insect-guard comprising a metallic band having prongs, and fibrous material entered by said prongs to confine said material to said band.

4. An insect-guard comprising a band of metal, and a layer of fibrous material applied to the inner side of said band, the edges of said layer being extended beyond the edges of said band and inturned on the body of the band.

5. In an insect-guard,a metallic band having outturned edges, and prongs to enter and hold brous material.

6. In aninsect-guard,amctallic strip having outturned, slotted flanges, and prongs.

7. In an insect-guard,a metallic strip having outturned, slotted flanges, and inturned prongs and projections, the prongs to confine fibrous material to said band, and the projections to contact with a tree-body and keep the body of the band out of contact with the tree.

8. In an insect-guard, a metallic band, having portions thereof outturned to forma space between them,V and a tarred strip drawn into said space and embracing said band.

9. An insect-guard comprising a metallic band having outturned flan ges to form a space, a tarred strip drawn into said space at the exterior of said band, and fibrous material connected with said band and infolded to form a pocket therein for the entrance of insects.

10. An insect-guard comprising a flexible band to encircle a tree and having outturned IOO IIO

ianges at its upper and lower edges, a strip to tbis specification in the presence of two subof tarred material on the exterior of tbe band, seribing witnesses.

held in position by and between the anges,

and fibrous material connected with the inte- WILLIAM HUMANb' 5 rior of tbe band and infolded to form a pocket, Witnesses:

0r pockets, for the entrance of insects. f i GEO. W. GREGORY,

In testimony whereof Ihave signed my name EDITH M. STODDARD. 

